[punchy]

I really like the term 'potty learning', but how do I say in in the past tense? " My daughter is fully 'potty-learned'?" It just sounds so silly like that to me. I end up reverting to 'she's potty-trained' and shiver as I say it.

What do you all say?

 

[RachelSerena]

I just like to say she learned how to use the potty. Or just "she uses the potty now" or something.

 

[Jaydens_mom]

I would just say "she uses the potty like a big girl"

Trained kinda reminds me of litter training a cat.. or training a dog...

 

[Jaydens_mom]

Random thing that just popped into my head.... "Potty master"

I think I will use that when my son has fully mastered using the potty

 

[faithnj]

Well, you could say she's a member of the "Mystic Order of the Toileteers." (Or call her a "Toileteer" for short.) That's from potty training video of Bear and the Big Blue House. Ooooorrr you could say she's a "Super Dooper Pooper." (It's Potty Time.") But seriously.......I just say she's potty trained, because everyone knows what you're talking about. And nobody assumes you treated your kid like a dog to help her there. If you think they might assume that-- you could make it more clear that the kid potty trained his or her self, or that she/he led the way. (Heaven knows I'm more than happy to discuss how my DD led the way! LOL!) But it wouldn't be wrong to say she's "Potty Learned" if you are commited to the term. Or you could just says "She uses the potty now." or "She's out of diapers." Whatever you use-- congratulations to you both are in order. Now that I'm going through it with my DD, I realize what a cool milestone in child development this is. So simple, yet mastering all the parts of it reflects so much growth in the child.

Faith
(Who's DD used to want to have the Super Dooper Pooper song sung after she went potty. But now she seems to think of herself as a "Toileteer!")

 

[Tori Gollihugh]

DD has finished potty-learning.
DD uses the potty by herself.
You don't have to use the words themselves in the past tense.

 

[pigpokey]

I don't have a huge problem using the phrase potty trained in casual conversation with acquaintences, or housebroken for that matter with more intimates

I think it's kinda funny. But usually the way we talk about it is "doesn't wear diapers."

 

[Faerieshadow]

I hate the term potty training too - even though I know that hardly anyone means it the way it actually sounds, I just dislike it. I either go with "potty learned" or "EC grad" - or you could say "diaper graduate" for that matter.

 

[Lula's Mom]

I am kind of confused by those who hate the phrase "potty training". I don't have negative associations with the word training at all. I don't think I usually hear a parent say "I'm potty-training her", as one would train a dog (though... it just means a dog is learning when you're training them, too...) No, typically a parent would say "She's potty-training", or "We're potty-training".

To me it means the same as learning, growing, trying, improving... It's an active process the child is going through, not something you're doing to the child.

If you were in the service, you might be in basic training or fighter pilot training.

If you get a new job, you get trained on the equipment or the software.

My daughter has training wheels on her bike.

My DP is training for the Peachtree Road Race next year.

I just don't see why there's all this uproar about the word 'training.'

 

[Bad Mama Jama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaydens_mom Random thing that just popped into my head.... "Potty master"

I LOVE THAT!!!

 

[Faerieshadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lula's Mom I am kind of confused by those who hate the phrase "potty training". I don't have negative associations with the word training at all. I don't think I usually hear a parent say "I'm potty-training her", as one would train a dog (though... it just means a dog is learning when you're training them, too...) No, typically a parent would say "She's potty-training", or "We're potty-training". To me it means the same as learning, growing, trying, improving... It's an active process the child is going through, not something you're doing to the child. If you were in the service, you might be in basic training or fighter pilot training. If you get a new job, you get trained on the equipment or the software. My daughter has training wheels on her bike. My DP is training for the Peachtree Road Race next year. I just don't see why there's all this uproar about the word 'training.'

For me, the reason I dislike the term potty training is that I believe in elimination communication. To me it isn't training any more than establishing a breastfeeding relationship is training, or helping a child start to eat solid foods is training, or guiding a toddler as he or she learns to walk is training. It is something that comes naturally, something that a parent is supposed to help the child along with. As is everything else I mentioned, the important part is communication - not simply training. To me (I understand that others may not feel this way, no criticism implied) saying potty training is like "training" your child not to do something by spanking or shouting rather than taking the time to teach them the reason why they shouldn't do it. Again, I know that most people certainly don't have that in mind, especially around here, but that is what I think of.

Oh, FTR I have heard people say all the time "I'm potty training him or her." Or, a grandparent/aunt/uncle/cousin/friend will make the comment that the parent is potty training the child.

 

[Lula's Mom]

Yeah you're right, I read another thread right after I posted, and there were some who said "I'm potty-training my child"!

To me it's still an innocuous term though, I guess because I see it as synonymous with a teaching/learning relationship. I do see it as including communication. Do a lot of people really do it by shouting or spanking? That sounds counter-productive.

FWIW, I think EC is awesome! I learned about it when my son was 6 months old, so we do it, but not all that well.

I need to spend more time in the EC forum. Still, it's better by leaps and bounds than the way my daughter potty-trained! She was 3 1/2 by the end. My son is 20 months and for at least a year has done 90% of his poops on the toilet. OMG, the lack of cleanup is heavenly! I have always been too lazy (scared?) to let him go diaper-free away from home or at night, and I think that hinders him in knowing to always use the toilet. Recently he entered the if-I-do-it-by-myself-it's100X-cooler phase, and he's been peeing a lot more in the toilet than on the floor. Whee!

 

[LynnS6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by punchy I really like the term 'potty learning', but how do I say in in the past tense? " My daughter is fully 'potty-learned'?" It just sounds so silly like that to me. I end up reverting to 'she's potty-trained' and shiver as I say it. What do you all say?

You've gotten lots of great suggestions. The grammar pedant in me, however, must post that what you want is the adjectival form (participial adjective if you care), not the past tense.

:

Past tense: My daugther learned to use the potty ('learned' here is the verb)
Adjective: My daughter is potty-learned ('is' is the verb here) - and I agree it sounds totally stupid.

 

[Faerieshadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LynnS6 Past tense: My daugther learned to use the potty ('learned' here is the verb) Adjective: My daughter is potty-learned ('is' is the verb here) - and I agree it sounds totally stupid.

Nice, very nice.

: The OP said it sounded silly, not "totally stupid". Interesting that the "grammar pedant" in you didn't realize this was not a good choice of words. I'm glad everyone else was able to give their opinion without throwing labels like that around. To you, it may seem totally stupid. To me, for reasons already posted above, it is preferred over a term I dislike much more. Totally stupid of me, I suppose.

 

[Faerieshadow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lula's Mom Yeah you're right, I read another thread right after I posted, and there were some who said "I'm potty-training my child"! To me it's still an innocuous term though, I guess because I see it as synonymous with a teaching/learning relationship. I do see it as including communication. Do a lot of people really do it by shouting or spanking? That sounds counter-productive.

Unfortunately I have seen parents whack their kids for peeing in their pants, shouting that "Babies pee in their pants, you are a big kid, act like it!"

And then turn to their friends and saying "I'm potty training him/her." Ugh.

Quote:

FWIW, I think EC is awesome! I learned about it when my son was 6 months old, so we do it, but not all that well. I need to spend more time in the EC forum. Still, it's better by leaps and bounds than the way my daughter potty-trained! She was 3 1/2 by the end. My son is 20 months and for at least a year has done 90% of his poops on the toilet. OMG, the lack of cleanup is heavenly! I have always been too lazy (scared?) to let him go diaper-free away from home or at night, and I think that hinders him in knowing to always use the toilet. Recently he entered the if-I-do-it-by-myself-it's100X-cooler phase, and he's been peeing a lot more in the toilet than on the floor. Whee!

 

[awnja]

I tell everyone my daughter is "out of diapers" or "done with diapers." And that feels so good to say because that means I'm done with them too!

I've also said, "She uses the toilet." "She's in undies/panties."
I also used the word "trained" sometimes when talking to folks that are just used to that language. But I say "She has toilet trained." (instead of "is"). So I give her the credit for training, not like it's something that I did to her. SHE trained. And she did because it certainly took some practice.

But I try not to use "trained" with new parents because I don't want them to get the wrong idea... she learned quite early and I think it puts pressure on some parents when they see she's done with diapers.

Julie

 

[PajamaMama]

v. trained, train·ing, trains
v. tr.

1. To coach in or accustom to a mode of behavior or performance.
2. To make proficient with specialized instruction and practice. See Synonyms at teach.

I use the phrase 'potty training' because I don't feel like having an in depth discussion about my dd's toilet habits every time the subject comes up. I hope this definition makes it easier for you 'potty learners' to accept. I hate to think that I'm making people cringe when my actual goal is just to communicate!

 

[mimim]

Well, at one time is was the fashion to force a child to sit on the potty until they produced as a method of toilet training. My potty as a child (in the early 70s) had seatbelt on it.

Because of this connotation and the fact that "potty training" sounds like an accomplishment for the caretaker, not the child, is why I prefer to use "learning".

I'm not the slighest bit offended when someone else used "training" instead.